Jan. 16: Lines 2 and 4 service expands to six days starting January 25

The purpose of this memo is to inform the Mayor and Members of Council that, based on observations to date, OC Transpo is ready to expand service on O-Train Lines 2 and 4 to six days a week from Monday to Saturday, with the first Saturday in service on January 25.  

OC Transpo has closely monitored the performance of the system since the start of revenue service on January 6 to ensure consistently safe and reliable service delivery. This includes assessing a number of factors, such as overall system operation, stability of staffing levels, full fleet availability, completion of all maintenance activities and that staff are able to respond appropriately to address any service issues when they arise. 

To date, service is operating as planned with only minor delays experienced, which have been responded to and addressed in a timely manner by OC Transpo and our maintainer, TransitNext. In particular, on Monday January 13, a train on Line 4 encountered technical issues and a brief system hold was put in place. OC Transpo and TransitNext responded efficiently and restored service on one track, until the impacted train was replaced and full service resumed. All aspects are being reviewed to capture lessons learned and make adjustments where possible.  

Based on the results of almost two weeks of operations and in line with the lessons learned from Line 1 and the public inquiry recommendations, service on Lines 2 and 4 will transition to the second phase of opening. For customers, the second phase means:  

• Lines 2 and 4 will continue to operate from 6 am to midnight Mondays to Fridays  
• Lines 2 and 4 will operate from 6:30 am to midnight on Saturdays, with the first Saturday in-service day on January 25  
• Existing parallel bus service will continue each day of the week, including B2 buses, Route 97 and 99  
• The Transit App and Travel Planner have been updated to help customers plan their trips  

This second phase will last a minimum of two weeks. During this second phase, operator training and work to improve the stability of customer information systems will continue. OC Transpo and TransitNext will continue to work collaboratively to capture any lessons learned and continue to monitor the overall performance of the system. 

While these remain early days, the operational performance and customer interest in trying the new Lines 2 and 4 continue to be encouraging. Further information on the phased opening will be shared at the next meeting of the Transit Commission on February 13. 

To support the Mayor and Members of Council in sharing the expansion of service with residents, draft social media messages, a newsletter insert, and key messages can be found here. 

Should you have any questions about the information provided in this memo, please do not hesitate to contact me at extension 52111.

Original signed by, 

Renée Amilcar  
General Manager Transit Services  

cc:    Senior Leadership Team 

Transit Services Departmental Leadership Team Director, Public Information and Media Relations 

Accessibility Advisory Committee Coordinator 

Nathalie Gougeon, Auditor General